The Buzz on Sweet Skincare

Do-it-yourself face masks that are as refreshing in the summer as they are comforting during cooler months.

There’s nothing wrong with having a standing appointment at the spa (as someone who writes about fashion and beauty this is something I fully endorse!) But sometimes it’s nice to be able to cook up a quick and easy home remedy that will leave you feeling glowing and hydrated, and is all natural and locally sourced.

Most people have honey in their pantry, and along the North Shore we are lucky enough to have access to many local farms that produce their own. I am partial to the raw honey produced by Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury, where you can see the bees working away at that honeycomb in their bee observatory.

Courtesy of Cider Hill Farm

Apart from being a sweet addition to your toast or tea, this honey packs a major punch when mixed into a do-it-yourself face mask.

The options for what kind of honey mask to make are many, and will probably depend upon what you have at your fingertips. If you have honey and plain yogurt on hand, combine equal parts honey and yogurt and apply to your face for a hydrating facial mask. Leave on for ten minutes and remove with a warm washcloth – heavenly!

Feeling green? Mix honey, avocado and ground oatmeal for an exfoliating scrub that also moisturizes.

You can even use honey by itself (this was recommended to me and has become one of my favorite methods). Simply apply a thin layer over the face and let sit for ten minutes before removing with a warm cloth. It removes redness, calms skin and leaves it feeling smooth.

Got citrus? Mix it in! Lemon is a natural way to exfoliate and has the added benefit of lightening dark spots when used over time. Sugar also makes a nice addition to any of the above masks, and you can control the level of exfoliation depending upon how much you add to the mask.

How’s your hair? Raw honey and coconut oil makes for an easy hair mask that will leave you wondering why you didn’t try this sooner. It’s easier to apply this mixture if you heat both the honey and coconut oil before applying. You can even leave this mask on overnight and rinse out with your morning shampoo.

I was a bit skeptical about trying out honey as a body moisturizer (it is quite sticky after all!) but I was pleasantly surprised by the results achieved by mixing two thirds coconut oil and one third honey. This is best applied after a bath or shower while skin is still warm.

These masks are as refreshing in the summer as they are comforting during cooler months. The only must is that you use raw honey like the one produced at Cider Hill, because it will be unprocessed and unpasteurized, thereby retaining all of the nutrients you want to soak up. You’ll have to find a new recipe for that plastic honey bear in the cabinet, because while he may be cute, he’s not for your face.